Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to study causes of and coping with loneliness of adolescent boarding students. This research was divided into 2 parts, survey and qualitative. Part 1 described loneliness of adolescent boarding students in several aspects: gender, grade, activity attending, family background, and peer relationships. The sample was composed of 312 adolescent boarding students in secondary school. The instruments used were the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Peer Relationships Scale. Results indicated that M.2 boarding student's loneliness score is higher than M.3 boarding students{174} loneliness score. There were differences in loneliness score between the boarding students who did and did not attend activities. The correlation between loneliness score and peer relationships score was founded. Part 2 investigated causes of loneliness and coping with loneliness in adolescent boarding students through indepth interviews with 7 boarding students and 3 focus group discussion. Content analysis was conducted. The result of qualitative finding revealed that the causes of loneliness of adolescent boarding students are personal factors, and interaction and social factors. Students used the following coping: (1) expression of feeling (2) isolation (3) not attending in any activities (4) attending in activities (5) thinking of beloved and attached person (6) decreasing social needs or social importance (7) seeking social belongingness (8) seeking social support and (9) self adjustment and self development.